Stephen Chadenga
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions vice president Valentine Chikosi has said the labour body is apolitical and will not tolerate politicians who fail address the plight of workers.
In an interview with The Blast Chikosi said ZCTU’s calling is to advance the interests of workers and not that of politicians.
“ZCTU’S calling is to stand for the interests of workers,”Chikosi said.
“Our politics is politics of the stomach. So if you are a politician and you divert from bread and butter issues know that we have crossed paths.
“If you are in parliament and you fail to articulate workers rights we have crossed paths. That you come from political party A or political party is none of our business.”
Chikosi said “political entrepreneurs” were the major contributors of workers exploitation adding that workers should unite to emancipate themselves.
“The major contributors of workers exploitation are political entrepreneurs and those who pretend to stand for workers interests when in fact they are advancing self interests,”he said.
“Such politicians have perpetuated the exploitation of workers. If we are therefore not united as workers we won’t win the struggle for workers emancipation.”
He said workers continue to face the of a disenfranchised labour class and should therefore “always unite.”